(function(){function place(){var root=document.currentScript&&document.currentScript.parentElement;if(!root)return;var card=root.querySelector(‘.wprm-recipe-snippet,.wprm-recipe-container’);var nav=root.querySelector(‘.recipe-quick-nav’);if(card&&nav&&card.nextElementSibling!==nav)root.insertBefore(card,nav);}if(document.readyState===’loading’)document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’,place);else place();})();
Tomato Salsa with Paste Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 7 quarts paste tomatoes peeled, cored, and chopped
- 4 cups long green chiles seeded and chopped
- 5 cups onion chopped
- 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice do not substitute vinegar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin optional
- 3 tablespoons oregano leaves optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro optional
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water canner
- 16–18 Pint canning jars with lids and rings
- 1 set Jar lifter and canning funnel
Directions
- Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep them hot until ready to fill. Prepare lids according to the manufacturer's directions.
- Wear plastic or rubber gloves while handling hot peppers and do not touch your face.
- If peeling the long green chiles, blister them in a 400°F oven or under a broiler for 6 to 8 minutes, or blister them on a hot range top. Place blistered peppers in a pan, cover with a damp cloth, cool, and peel. Finely chopped chiles usually do not need peeling.
- Combine all ingredients except the cumin, oregano, and cilantro in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the optional cumin, oregano, and cilantro, if using, and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Fill clean, hot pint jars with hot salsa, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, wipe jar rims, and apply prepared lids and rings.
- Process pints in a boiling-water canner for the time specified for your altitude: 15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft, 20 minutes at 1,001–6,000 ft, or 25 minutes above 6,000 ft.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
Questions or results?
Discuss this recipe with the canning community. Community comments do not replace the tested source or safety classification shown on this page.
Join the discussion
Please log in or create a free account to discuss this recipe. You will return here afterward.
Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested recipe: National Center for Home Food Preservation. Method: Boiling-water
Processing details
Method: Boiling-water
- Pack: Hot pack
- Jar size: Pint jars
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Yield: About 16–18 pints
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Prepare and measure produce; cook the salsa as directed; fill hot pint jars; process; cool undisturbed.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner with rack and lid, pint jars, jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, gloves, and large pot.
Visual method guide
- Prepare the canner, jars, and measured ingredients.
- Cook and fill jars using the tested recipe card.
- Process with the schedule below, then cool jars upright and undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Only spices and herbs may be varied. Do not change vegetable, tomato, or acid proportions, and do not replace the bottled lemon or lime juice with vinegar.
About this recipe
A large-batch salsa designed for meaty paste tomatoes and bottled citrus juice.
Before you begin
Hot pack only. Use pint jars and 1/2-inch headspace. Wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 15 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 20 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 25 min |
Serving suggestions
Serve with chips or use in tacos, casseroles, eggs, and bean dishes.
FAQ
Can vinegar replace the bottled citrus juice? No. This tested recipe specifies bottled lemon or lime juice.
Recipe context and comparison
Use this formulation for paste tomatoes; its tested ingredient balance differs from salsa recipes based on slicing tomatoes.
Troubleshooting
Avoid watery substitutions and measure prepared vegetables accurately. Refrigerate or reprocess any unsealed jar using current NCHFP guidance.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical formulation and processing values are tied to the original NCHFP source. Editorial blocks do not replace that source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
Typical canning season
Season: Summer, Fall
Months: July, August, September
Main ingredient: Paste tomatoes
Basis: Typical fresh tomato harvest months in much of the Northern Hemisphere; local harvest timing varies by climate and cultivar.
Months describe typical main-ingredient availability, not canning safety.
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
40–80 lb of Tomatoes per person per year
This is an annual planning range that includes preserving and typical fresh use. Plant, row-foot, and square-foot estimates are shown only when compatible cited yield or spacing data is available.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.